[Dixielandjazz] Modern Jazz vs Dixieland/Okom

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Hi Don,  thanks for pointing that insightful first hand truth out, 
about the A.S.C.A.P. Mafia,  I know about it but many of the True 
Believers on DJML and other sources of lists and organizations for 
musicians don't know it or refuse to believe it.

I only meant to speak generically about the royalties situation and the 
Gershwin heirs  getting all the money, and yep the Pyramid scheme is 
alive and well at A.S.C.A.P. and no doubt will remain so far beyond our 
lifetimes.

I am not even certain that the folks who collect the royalties in 
Europe are even passing on any leftover money to A.S.C.P. after they 
pay their own collection expenses to collect them. :))  Very Doubtful 
indeed.

Cheers,


The Check is no doubt lost in the Mail, I am sure they sent it, because 
the nice lady in the office told me they did.  :))
Tom Wiggins

-----Original Message-----
From: dingle at baldwin-net.com
To: tcashwigg at aol.com
Cc: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Sent: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 08:57:22 -0400
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Modern Jazz vs Dixieland/Okom

   tcashwigg at aol.com wrote: 
 
 > 
 > Polite snip from Steve Barbone's REPLY TO MIKE 
 > 
  > Let's see, the last time I looked, with the exception perhaps of "My 
> One & 
  > Only Love -1953 by Mellin & Wood, the rest are Great American > 
Songbook Tunes 
  > or Gospel which surely qualify as OKOM even for the most square of 
us. 
 > 
 > 
 > Saint Gabriel's does three of these tunes that we fondly call OKOM. 
 > 
 > My Funny Valentine - 1937 Rodgers & Hart 
 > 
  > We feature MINOR "FUNKY" aka "FROG" Williams on the vocals and he > 
delivers an awesome gut wrenching soulful rendition of it that would > 
make Rogers & Hart twinge but stand and cheer with the rest of the > 
audience. 
 > 
 > 
 > 
 > Summertime - 1935 Gershwin & Gershwin 
  > Our version of this would make the Gershwins turn over in their > 
graves but heir heirs are loving it because it is a big hit for us and 
 > one of our most requested songs in Europe and they are loving the > 
royalties 
 > 
 > There Will Never Be Another You - 1942 Gordon & Warren 
 > 
  > Now we do draw our lines somewhere folks and Playing the > 
Sheepherder's Lament is where the line is drawn. 
  > we do not play "There will Never be another Ewe" because it is just 
 > not Politically correct as far as we are concerned because of it's > 
sexual under tones. 
 > 
  > Take My Hand Precious Lord - (not sure but circa 1930s) Thomas A. 
Dorsey 
 > 
  > This is a standard in our repertoire for both Funerals and concerts 
 > and all Gospel Brunches and shows Riverbank Baptisms, camp meetin's > 
and wherever else good ole Gospel tunes are in good taste. 
 > 
 > 
 > We just love playing Feel Good Music. 
 > 
  > However we can't seem to get that Boondockers feel on a couple of > 
tunes, :)) 
 > 
 > Maybe the four drummers are drowning out the washboard, :)) 
 > 
 > Cheers, 
 > 
 > Tom Wiggins 
 > 
 > Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band 
 > 
 > As live as it gets. 
 > 
 > _______________________________________________ 
 > Dixielandjazz mailing list 
 > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com 
 > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz 
 > 
 > 
  "Summertime, " I might point out, was also used by the Bob Crosby 
Orchestra and a them song at one time. So I guess that would buy it 
entry into the OKOM 
 library. 
  But the Gershwin estate does not make money off your performances per 
se. They make it because they are a triple A member, and get a cut of 
everything that is collected except for the what the extortion 
collectors take off the top. Those who have enough stuff published to 
reach the higher membership ranking are going to receive $$ whether 
anyone plays their stuff any more. Sort of a pyramid club for 
composers. My dad had his compositions recorded and numbers redone by 
others and never, to the day of his death or since to his estate, every 
received a buck of ASCAP royalty. I have a signed picture of some of 
the Goldkette band members that Paul Mertz sent me year ago. In it he 
notes that he got his quarterly ASCAP residual -- $0.43 cents. Paul had 
a number of his tunes recorded and by many bands, including "I'm Glad 
There Is You," and yet in spite of many recordings and many airplays 
his income for these compositions was "pathetic." 
 Don Ingle